15 Book Reviews submitted by our Members...sorted by voted most helpful

I really enjoy this series of books about Xanth. I like the puns and playfulness of these books. However, I must say that I only read one or two then have to take a break and read something else because if I didn't I think I would turn against the series and not read it at all. Piers Anthony is to great an author for me to do that.

In the mind of Xanth's precious shapeshifting Prince Dolph, the perfect was to see the world is to search for the missing sorcerer, Humfrey. Setting off with his faithfuls companion, Marrow, an enchanted skeleton, Dolph will penetrate an island of illusion, escape a goblin kingdom, outwit a husband-hungry mermaid, save marrow from bone-starved harpies, and find romance with a slinky snake princess--all on his way to discovering a magic coin with all the answers!

To Xanth's precocious shape-shifted Prince Dolph, searching for Humfrey, the missing sorcerer, is a perfect chance to see the world. Setting off with his faithful compainion Marrow, an enchanted skeleton, he will penetrate an island of illusion, escape a goblin kingdom, outwit a husband-hungry mermaid, nest sit for fiery dragons, and find romace with a slinky snak princess.

Prince Dolph is bored. His days are spent with lessons, and watching the Tapestry, which hangs in his sister's room. After studying the many adventures depicted on that wonderous hanging, Dolph figures it's high time he went on a Quest of his own. But Dolph is only nine years old.

However, since he is a prince, and a Quest would be a good experience, his parents, King Dor and Queen Irene, allow him to travel to the missing Good Magician's castle to look for clues, with adult supervision of course.

So Dolph heads out with Marrow Bones, a living skeleton from the world of The Gourd, and encounters enough adventure to last any other person a lifetime. As a shape changer he thought he would be ready for anything, but he finds that there is more in the world of Xanth than what he saw on The Tapestry.

This is the eleventh in the series, and the second in the trilogy of the missing Good Magician. I enjoyed this one. It didn't seem to be as punny as previous installments, providing less distraction from the central story. Of course, since this is the second book of a trilogy, the ending is open, and leaves the young prince with quite a problem which will effect his future as a potential King of Xanth. Hmmmm :o)